Propulsion of vessels



(No Model.)

J. H. KATES.

PROPULSION 0F VESSELS.

" No. 363,244. Patented May 17, 1887.

TEL-6710 8508.

NITED STATES PATENT rrrcn.

PROPULSION CF VESSELS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 363,244, dated May 17,1887.

Application filed August 7, 1886. Serial No. 210,353. (No model.)

.To'aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, J. HARMAR KATEs, of Pittsburg, in the county ofAllegheny and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in the Propulsion of Vessels; and I do herebydeclare the following to bea full, clear, and exact description of thesame, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a partof this specification, and to the figures and letters of referencemarked thereon.

The object of my present invention is to increase the speed of vesselspropelled by steam or other motive power; also, to utilize the availablepower of such motors over and above what can be employed to advantage inpropelling the vessel; and this I accomplish by applying a portion ofthe motive power in a manner to increase the buoyancy of the vessel, andthereby decrease the resistance which would otherwise be opposed to itsforward movement.

By the exercise of modern ingenuity and I skill the powerand capacity ofmotors proportional to their weighthave been and will doubtless continueto be increased; but the increased power thus developed, if applied tovessels as ordinarily constructed, would not effect an equal gain inspeed, owing to the fact thatbut a certain proportion of the power canbe ren' dered available in propelling the boat, as is well understood.

Now, in practicing my invention, I propose to employ motors havinggreater power and capacity than are usually placed in vessels of thesame dimensions, and to utilize the surplus power developed for actingupon or against the water in a manner and direction to not only propelthe vessel, but also to raise the hull partially or wholly abovethe'surface, thereby increasing its buoyancy and diminishing theresistance opposed to its forward movement.

I will first describe, in connection with the accompanying drawings, oneof the simplest forms in which I propose .to embody my said invention,after which I will point out the several novel features in the claims.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevation of a vessel with theside bar removed, sh owing-the application of my improvements. Fig. 2 isan end view, and Fig. 3 a side view, of one of my improved wheels. Figs.4 and 5 water.

are details showing the manner of mounting and operating the vertical,or, as I term them, walking floats.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

The letter A designates the hull of the vessel, and B thepropelling-wheels, of which latter there are preferably a series on eachside of the boat.

The wheels B, which are of novel form and construction, are eachcomposed of a hollow portion or drum, 1, provided on its periphery witha series of hollow floats or paddles, 2, whose operating or strikingfaces 3 are disposed at such an angle that when the boat is at rest theywill strike and enter the water in a plane at or about parallel with thesurface of the latter. The cylinders or drums 1 are of such dimensionsand so arranged that their lower portion will project down at orslightly below the bottom of the hull A, and will be practicallyimmersed when the boat is at rest, while the hollow floats or paddles 2will ex tend below the bottom of the boat.

The floats 2 occupy about two-thirds the circumference of the wheel, andare made hollow and with the curved rear face or edge, 7, so that asthey are successively immersed they will exercise a lifting-pressure onthe shaft and boat to supplement that occasioned by the impact of thetangential or striking face, while 1, so that the several cylinders ordrums 1, to-

gether with the imm ersed floats 2, assist in supporting the hull abovethe surface of the If new the wheels B, constructed and arranged asdescribed, and driven by powerful motors, be rotated rapidly and withgreat power in the direction indicated by the arrow in Fig. 1, thefloats 2 will be caused to impinge against the water withtheir faces 3parallel, or nearly so, with the surface of the water, and the reactionthus produced, to-

. gether with the immersion of the floats, will zoo cause the vessel tobe raised bodily until but 7 llttle, lfany, of the hull will remainsubmerged.

When the vessel is thus elevated, its weight is of course supportedpartly by the hollow wheels and floats and partly by the reactionaryeffects of the paddles striking or pressing against the water, so thatthe portion of the vessel-13. e., the Wheelsremaining in contact w ththe water will always be moving in a direction to assist the forwardmovement of the vessel.

When it becomes necessary or desirable to increase the liftingpower ofthe mechanism over and above that furnished bythe wheels and theirhollow floats, I employ to supplement the action of the wheels a seriesof reciprocating floats, 0, applied either to the -wheel or to the hullof the vessel, or both combined, as shown in Fig. 1.

:Whenapplied to the wheels 13, the floats O are arranged immediatelybeyond the outer faces of the floats 2, as shown, and are connected tosuitableoperating devices, whereby they are caused to be projectedquickly as they pass beneath the shaft. The floats G, being thuspropelled or driven vertically against the water beneath them and inline with the shaft, the reactionary effect upon the vessel will operateto assist in raising the latter.

As is obvious, any improved form of mechanism may be employed forreciprocating the floats C=such, for example, as illustrated in thedrawings, wherein thefloats C are shown attached at each end to onemember of a pair of togglelevers, 9, the other member of the togglebeing pivoted to the side or upon the shaft of the wheel. The centerpins, 10, of the toggle are arranged to make contact with suitablestationary cams, l1, affixed to supports on the hull and the outer railor frame, 12, whereby as the floats G are brought beneath the axis ofthe wheel the toggle will be straightened and-the float driven down.

The reciprocating or walking floats D applied to the hull consist of ahollow float, 13, preferably of the shape shown, secured to the end of apitman, 14, connected to a crank, 15,

on a rotary shaft, 16. The pitman 14 is proa size and proportion thatwhile. their lower or striking face will be projected below thewater=line as they are caused to move in their circular or ellipticalpath they will not be wholly immersed, but their upper surface willremain above the water-line; hence the'pressure exerted upon the vesselwill be alwaysapplied in a direction to lift the latter. In order thatthe vessel may be raised and sustained at the proper point to materiallydiminish the friction of the hull against the water, according to myimprovements, it is necessary that a series of the wheels B should bearranged on each side of the hull, (which latter is constructed so as tobe comparatively narrow and shallow,) in order to support the latterequally throughout its length.

I claim as my invention- 1. In a paddle-wheel such as described, thecombination of a series of hollow floats provided with the tangentialstriking-faces and curved or inclined rear faces, substantially as andfor the purpose set forth. g

2. The improved paddle -wheel herein described, consisting, essentially,in the combination, with the hollow drum, of the broad and hollow floatshaving the tangential striking-faces and curved rear faces,substantially as and for thepurpose set forth.

3. In combination with the hull of a vessel, a series of buoyantpaddle-wheels, substantially as herein described, supported uponopposite sides of the hull, said wheels consisting,

essentially,of the hollow central drums extending to or below the bottomof the vessel, and the series of hollow floats having the curved orinclined rear faces and tangential striking or front faces, as and forthe purpose set forth.

4. In combination with a vessel such as described, a series ofverticallyreciprocating.

action of the paddles in raising the hull, as set' forth.

7. In combination with the buoyant paddlewheel having the central drumand hollow tangential faced floats, the reciprocating floats located atthe ends of the hollow floats and connected to devices for successivelyprojecting them as they pass beneath the shaft, substantially asdescribed. v

8. In a paddle-wheel for propelling and raising the hull of a vessel inthe water, the combination, with thehollow central drum and the hollowpaddles or floats secured thereto, and provided with the broad outerface, tangential front face, and curved rear face, of the series ofreciprocating floats supported upon the wheel and located beyond theouter- IlO eating floats to project them downward as they pass beneaththe shaft, as and for the purpose set forth.

J. HARMAR KATES.

Witnesses: I

. MELvILLE CHURCH, ALEX S. STEUART.

